# 119-hr-9409: Remote Control Locomotives Safety Improvement Act of 2026

119-hr-9409, Remote Control Locomotives Safety Improvement Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-08-08).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9409
- As of: 2026-08-08
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-9409
- Congress: 119
- Title: Remote Control Locomotives Safety Improvement Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-06-23
- Sponsor: Rep. Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Transportation and Public Works
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-08-08

## Summary

This bill would require a **human locomotive engineer physically located in the lead cab for main-line trains**, and ban remote-control operation outside yards. It would bar remote-control-only certified operators from running main-line trains and task the Federal Railroad Administration with audits and enforcement. - Locomotive workers: Main-line trains would have to be operated by an engineer certified under 49 CFR part 240 who is physically inside the lead cab, and remote-control-only certified operators could not operate those trains. - Railroads and operations: Remote control locomotives would be prohibited outside yards and on main lines defined as routes with 5,000,000 or more gross tons annually. The Secretary could not waive these requirements for class I or class II railroads or for trains on track classified as class 1 or above. - Enforcement and penalties: The Federal Railroad Administration would be required to audit each class I railroad within 180 days and conduct unscheduled inspections of covered non-class I railroads within 1 year. Violations would carry daily civil penalties processed under 49 U.S.C. 21301 and a fine equal to the greater of 1% of annual income or annual operating income or $1,000,000.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17] (R-NY), 2026-06-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Ban on remote-control main-line trains: benefit, medium. If enacted, the bill would bar remote-control locomotives on a defined "main line." A "main line" would mean a route carrying 5,000,000 or more gross tons each year. Trains outside a yard would need a human locomotive engineer physically inside the lead cab, certified under 49 C.F.R. part 240. The…
- FRA audits and inspections for railroads: benefit, medium. If enacted, the Federal Railroad Administration would be required to audit and inspect rail carriers to enforce the bill. The FRA would audit each class I railroad within 180 days of enactment and take actions needed to ensure compliance. The FRA would also carry out unscheduled audits and inspecti…
- Million-dollar daily penalties for violators: cost, high. If enacted, anyone who violates the bill, a regulation, or an order under the bill would owe a civil penalty for each day the violation continues. The daily penalty would be the largest of: 1% of the person's annual income, 1% of the person's annual operating income, or $1,000,000. The total penalt…
- Faster rulemaking without public comment: mixed, medium. If enacted, the Secretary of Transportation would issue rules needed to carry out the bill and could update 49 C.F.R. part 229.15. The bill specifies that the usual public notice-and-comment process (5 U.S.C. 553) would not apply to the section limiting remote-control operations. That would speed r…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025
- 119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025
- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

## Sources
- [119-hr-9409 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/9409)

## Related
- [119-hr-3151: SHIPS for America Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3151)
- [119-hr-6900: American Affordability Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6900)
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-7481: Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7481)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9409 (as of 2026-08-08).